Realistic Fish Replicas For Your Wall

A couple of months ago I was looking for a wall mounted fish replica for my home office. After some searching I found a company located in Florida that does great work and decided to include them on my web site. One of the unique aspects of their products is that they offer both a full fish mount and a half-sided fish mount. The half sided mount a less expensive and basically looks just as good.

The Mount This Fish Company has replicas of the widest variety of fish species I have seen anywhere, including most saltwater and freshwater species of fish. They also offer some very creatively painted versions if that is what you prefer. In addition, they have glass fish art which is awesome. If you are in the market for a mounted fish replica, check them out today.

Click here to visit Mount This Fish Company

Fourth of July Fishing Tackle Sale

I went to the lake this weekend and I spent $71 on gas alone, and that was just for my vehicle not my boat. I am looking for every way possible to save money on my favorite recreational activity - FISHING. Well now is a great time to take advantage of this excellent July 4th sales event. They are offering 10% off of 100's of items. Save money where you can!

You'll find many popular brands of fishing lures, soft plastic baits, electronics, reels, and tool kits. To check out the hundred's of sales items click here.

Measure Net Fishing Net A Brilliant Invention

A fisherman by the name of Jeff Abel has invented, and patented, a fishing net that can easily measure your fish while it is still in the net. He came up with the idea while fishing in the middle of a river in Wyoming. He found it extremely difficult to hold on to his rod and the fish while getting out his tape measurer, then measuring the fish, and finally releasing the fish. So he developed a prototype of a net with built-in measurement marks before his next trip. After nine months of testing and modifications, the Measure Net was born.

To use the Measure Net is very easy, simply land the fish in the net, then add the numbers at the head and the tail to get the total length. The patented Measure Net is the only landing net that allows the angler to catch, measure and release a fish without touching it. Learn more by visiting their website www.themeasurenet.com. The Measure Net is now available in hundreds of fly shops and sporting goods store across the country.

Isn't it great to see what a fisherman can do when they put their mind to it. Why didn't I think of that?

Save On Spring Fishing Tackle Sales

Now is a great time to do your shopping for fishing tackle to get ready for the summer fishing season. Many outlets are offering great sales and discounts which can save you money. To check out some of our favorite retailers that are providing sales; go to www.crazyfisherman.com/discounts. You will find discounts from Basspro Shops, Orvis, Land Big Fish Tackle, and P & S Fishing Tackle.
For instance, you can save $100 on this Garmin GPSMAP 172C for your boat. There are also great prices on lures, reels, terminal tackle, and much more. Bookmark and go to our discount page often to take advantage of the latest. Enjoy browsing and save.

Power Pole Excellent For Shallow Water Fishing

I believe fishermen are some of the best inventors. Their inventions may not cure a disease or create world peace, but they certainly continue to develop innovative ways to impact the world of fishing and make the experience of sport and recreational fishing much better. These kinds of inventions also have a far reaching economic impact. One such invention is the Power Pole.

For those of us who primarily fish in shallow water, meaning 8 feet or less, the Power Pole is the greatest thing since sliced bread. If you are trying to fish and there is any wind, anchoring is burdensome and can disturb the fish, and using a trolling motor is helpful but it still churns up the water and makes noise. The Power Pole can be lowered very quietly into water placing a small spike on the bottom which will keep your boat in place. It can be lowered from a small remote device hanging around the fisherman's neck or kept in a convenient location. The Power Pole can be used in both fresh and saltwater.

The device was invented by John Oliverio of Brandon, Florida. He is an avid flats fisherman who noticed that when fishing shallow, clear water, as his boat got too close, the fish would disappear. "I wanted something I could lower from anywhere in the boat without taking my eyes off of the fish," states Oliverio. So, in 1999, he invented such a device for shallow water fishermen and called it the Power Pole. By the way, in the recent Bassmaster Classic held at Lake Hartwell, 18 of the 50 qualifying boats had a Power Pole on their transom. For more information go to www.powerpole.com.

Sales On Fishing Tackle And Gear

I have added a sale page to Crazy Fisherman. There is much more to build out on the page, but I have now started building a web page that will highlight sales on fishing tackle and gear from several of the major retailers. To begin with I have included Bass Pro Shops, P & S Tackle, Land Big Fish Tackle, and Orvis. More retailers will be added over the next couple of weeks. This is one page you can come back to time and time again to look for savings. Just click on the link provided and you will go directly to the retailers items on sale.

How much can you save? You can save over $60 today at Land Big Fish on a Garmin GPS for your boat. Bookmark this page and come back often for maximum savings. Click to save on fishing tackle and gear.

Clean Your Boat With A Green Cleaner

Since I have become more environmentally conscious, I have looked for a cleaner to use on my boat that is completely non-toxic and 100% biodegradable. Ultimately, anything used on your boat will end up in the water. I've tried cleaning my boat just using plain water, but that just doesn't get rid of the fish smell and doesn't disinfect surfaces. Thanks to my wife, I have found a product that works great. It is not a new product, I was just not very familiar with it and would have never thought of using it on my boat. The product is Basic H which is a Shaklee product. And not only is it all natural so it will not harm the environment, it is also very inexpensive. One 16 oz. bottle of concentrate makes 48 gallons of cleaner.

If you have carpet in your boat like I do, you can also use a combination of Basic H and a product called Nature Bright to clean your carpet. Again completely biodegradable. Basic H also does a great job removing the fish smell from a fisherman's hands. Your wife will appreciate that before you come home. Click here for more information.

Night Fishing Light

This is an excellent and inexpensive addition to your tackle box to help you with your night fishing adventures. The Galaxy Tip Light attaches to your rod and provides 60 hours of light. It makes it easy to see when you've got a bite. Click for more information.

New Fishing Products For 2008

There have been more new products introduced this year than I can ever remember. Everything from Berkley Gulp Alive to the Kong family of hard plastic baits and fishing rods made out of carrots. It also seems like there are new manufacturers emerging with new, innovative products. This is very good for the industry, but best of all it is great for us fishermen. Fishermen enjoy the challenge of developing and using new products and learning about the new technology of the sport. That's just part of who we are.

Click here to view many of this year's new fishing products.

Custom Hand Tied Flys Made In The USA

Meet Debbie. She is the talent behind the new business Flys By Design. You can check out her website at www.flysbydesign.net. She has certainly mastered the skill. When I asked her how she got involved in fly tying, she said it was because her husband started fly fishing and found the flys he purchased from a major fishing store (I will not mention the name) to be cheap and not colorful enough to attract fish. So, they started tying their own flys. She found that she was much better at tying flys than her husband.

When his fishermen friends began to ask where he got his flys and wanted her to make some for them, her business was born. If you are looking for some excellent hand tied or custom flys, you should check out Flys By Design, made in the good ol' USA.

Great New Fishing Lure Spin Tail Shad

The new Spin Tail Shad from Storm Lures with its excellent flash and vibration comes in a 3- and 4-inch version. The new lure features a spinning blade on the tail and a single dorsal hook. Although the Storm website also has a version with both a dorsal hook and a trailing tail treble hook. The tail spinner adds the enhanced flash and vibration that you need sometimes to get fish to strike. The lure swims shallow at slow speeds featuring an ultra clear durable soft outerbody. It is weighted internally, for ideal swimming action and should be great for all species. It comes 3 per pack.

I think Storm has a winner with their new Spin Tail Shad. Click here to learn more and to purchase.

Floating Sunglasses for Fishing and Boating

Give your eyes the protection from glare that they deserve and need. FishGillz have a sleek, polymer wrap frame that is both fashionable and durable for any activity. The wide temples provide extra protection from the elements, and the patented Micro-Filter® Lens Technology eliminates glare and harmful UVA sunlight. Built for functionality and fit, FishGillz are made to suit the needs of even the most extreme sporting enthusiasts.

*Every pair of FishGillz sunglasses comes with a padded, nylon zipper case, emblazoned with the famous FishGillz Logo, that will protect your sunglasses for years...The case floats too!! Six styles available. Click below to learn more and to purchase.

Save On Fishing Tackle At Bass Pro Shops

Now is the time to save money at Bass Pro Shops before the Spring and Summer fishing season begins. I have never seen quite as much on sale and for such good prices. The sale begins February 29th and runs through March 16th at all 46 stores. If you are on their mailing list you probably received a brochure in the mail; however I have a included a link below for your convenience if you would like to browse or shop online.

Basspro.com

Environmentally Friendly Soft Plastic Fishing Bait

Entrepreneur Ben Hobbins, president and CEO of Waunakee-based Lake Resources Group, has developed a new soft plastic fishing lure which he plans to be in sporting goods stores very soon. Hobbins worked with University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering and business school faculty and students to perfect a fiber-reinforced fishing lure that will prevent millions of pounds of toxic plastics from polluting waters nationwide. Most lures on the market today are easily torn or ripped off of the hook and end up on the bottom of our lakes and rivers.

Key to the technology is tiny microfibers embedded in the soft-plastic material. They're placed in the plastic in such a way that you still have a flexible lure, but it will not rip. It is estimated that each year more than 12,000 tons of rubbery "soft baits" land at the bottom of lakes, streams and rivers.

In the "soft lure" category at last year's ICAST, Hobbins' lures - called "IronClads" - finished runner-up to an entry from international fishing giant Pure Fishing. Since then, he has received accolades for the IronClads in outdoors publications and shows nationwide. Most recently, he earned the Best in Show Award at the 2008 Chicagoland Outdoors Show. It looks like Ben Hobbins and the University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering and business school have come up with a winner for the environment. I'm sure we'll hear more about this soft plastic lure in the months to come.

Custom Boat and Dock Cleats

An alternative to regular old boat and dock cleats has now arrived at the Crazy Fisherman Company. These attractive cleats are made of 316 stainless steel and will hold up to just about anything. They come in two models - bass and dolphin. The bass cleat is 6 inches and the dolphin cleat is 10 inches. The item makes a great gift for a fisherman or is just a great way for you to show a little personality on your boat or dock. You can purchase these beautiful cleats at Crazy Fisherman.

Castaic Develops Hard Plastic Version Of Soft Bait

The popular soft plastic Platinum Series made by Castaic Softbaits has been modified into the Hard Rock series swim bait. This new swim bait is available in 4-, 6-, and 8-inch sizes and comes in floating and slow sinking models. The swim bait comes in five colors including blue shad and golden shiner. They were extremely popular at last summer's ICAST where Castaic's booth was swamped with people placing orders even though the product is not officially out yet. They are currently taking pre-orders on their website at www.castaicsoftbait.com.

There is more big news coming from Castaic Softbaits. They have just been purchased by Nature Vision. I have included a copy of the press release below.

Brainerd, MN, January 22, 2008 – Outdoor technologies firm Nature Vision, Inc. announced today purchase of Castaic Softbaits. Throughout the fishing tackle industry, Castaic remains the recognized inventor of the swimbait category, currently the hottest lures for big bass in North America. Recognized by Field & Stream magazine as one of the top 50 all-time fishing lures, Castaic Softbaits have twice graced the cover of this prestigious publication.

The addition of Castaic provides Nature Vision with a proven fishing tackle product platform, which will immediately generate revenues during the spring and summer periods, traditionally the firm’s low season. “Since our reverse merge in 2004, Nature Vision has been working to build a balanced portfolio of hunting - fishing product lines,” stated Jeff Zernov, CEO of Nature Vision, Inc. “In these markets, three distinct periods define the selling calendar. Spring and summer are traditional seasons for fishing tackle. Fall is when hunting products sell, and winter is of course dominant for ice fishing product sales. The Castaic acquisition now gives us a fully balanced mix of products, completing our 3- tiered product equation.”

“In recent years we have looked at a number of tackle companies, but none of them offered the growth potential of Castaic,” Zernov said. “We didn’t want a low end line of commodity items, rather we sought a strong brand with innovative products that we could build upon. Castaic is the perfect fit. Not only is Castaic a nationally recognized brand— even though they have never advertised—their proprietary manufacturing methods and numerous patents offer us a unique place in the market.”


Castaic Softabaits founder Jason Scott will remain active within the organization, and has been hired as research and development director for Nature Vision’s tackle division. The move combines into a single company the collective talents of Scott and Zernov, two of the fishing industry’s sharpest innovators.

PRESS RELEASE
Nature Vision, Inc., a publicly held corporation headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, created Aqua-Vu, the first self-contained underwater viewing system in 1997. Founded by president and CEO Jeff Zernov, Nature Vision, Inc. continues to reinvent the outdoor experience.
www.naturevisioninc.com

Fishing Collectibles Bring Big Money

I am not a collectibles or antique or auction kind of person, but an article that came across my desk this week really caught my attention. At a recent auction event featuring fishing collectibles at Lang's auction in Boxborough, Mass., would you believe old fishing stuff brought in a total of $2.8 million?

Let me give you a few examples of the crazy prices.

• A boxed-birdcage reel made by William Billinghurst in Rochester, N.Y., which was apparently the first patented American Fly fishing reel, brought in $40,320.
• A fishing chair (used on a boat to land large fish) went for $24,640.
• And, a pre-Civil War antique fishing lure ended the bidding at $32,250.

Click here for the complete story. I don't know about you, but I'm going to be more careful when I throw out my old fishing tackle.

New Insulated Ice Fishing Shelter From Frabill

We started this fall warmer than normal; however winter is shaping up to be a banner season for ice fishing. December has been much colder than in recent years so ice fishing has begun earlier and so far it looks like it will be a great year for ice fishermen.

Ice fishermen will be interested to know that Frabill, one of the leading manufacturer of products for ice fishing, has developed an insulated ice fishing shelter with hard core ice fishing in mind. Using the 3M product Thinsulate, the shelter walls retain much more heat than traditional materials as well as protect who ever is inside from the elements. And of course the material is flame resistant. There is a considerable amount of product research on the insulating capacity on their website. The shelters are portable and available in 2 person and 3 person models. See all of the details at www.r2-tec.com. With accommodations like this, ice fishing may become more popular.

Weed'EZ Ice Fishing Innovation

You can't catch fish until you find fish, and fish are generally attracted to underwater vegetation. Nature Vision, who has several fish finding and ice fishing products, has developed a new product that can help. It's called the Weed'Ez. The Weed'Ez is an artificial aquatic plant that an ice fisherman can drop through the hole in the ice to create a fish weedbed that will attract fish. The Weed'Ez moves under the water like a natural plant. When not in use, Weed'Ez folds up and fits into a convenient mesh storage bag. This is an example of simple, but great innovation for the fisherman. I only wish I would have thought of it myself. The Weed'Ez will be available at retailers soon.

A Weed'Ez pack will include four 60-inch plants and will retail for $19.99. For more information click here.

The Carrot Stix Fishing Rod Is Now Available

Back on July 17th I wrote about the product that received the best of show award at the ICAST 2007. This is the fishing industry's highest award. This innovative product is a fishing rod made from carrot fibers which is extremely light and strong, weighing 3.1 oz. at 6 feet 9 inches length. The Carrot Stix is part of the new line of Element 21's revolutionary fishing rods developed by veteran designer Ken Whiting who is known as the Wizard of Rods. Element 21 develops and markets golf and fishing products made from the Company's proprietary Scandium Alloys which are known for their distance, consistency, accuracy and feel. I am anxious to give this new generation of fishing rods a try. They will soon be available through several retail outlets; however can be order directly from the company now. (see information below)

Let me give you the description of one of their rods:
Designed by Boyd Duckett 37th Bassmaster Classic World Champion and Ken Whiting the Wizard of Rods, our new Classic Gold series is a striking combination of versatility and performance. From its high tech Stress Free blank design in high modulus graphite and Nano Cellulose Bio-Fibers to its anodized aluminum weight port butt cap the Classic Gold series is one fine piece of fishing equipment. Maticulous attention to detail is paid to the construction of each and every Classic Gold rod as noted by many inherent features which would typically, only be found on custom rods. For example, locking wraps on each single foot guide, guides with no ceramics to crack or fall out, our easy access weight port for personal balancing and our own in house Maximum Exposure II split reel seat for the ultimate in blank / hand contact and sensitivity. In terms of performance the Classic Gold Carrot Stix series exhibits an extremely well balanced combination of lure presentation, castability and overall rod control. As Boyd said, "If this wasn’t the sweetest rod I’ve ever fished with, it wouldn’t have my name on it."

For more information or to purchase:

The e21 Carrot Stix Fishing Rod From Land Big Fish Tackle